1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of carrying devices, and more particularly, is directed to a portable carrier frame especially designed to facilitate transporting heavy loads, such as luggage, up and down flights of stairs.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In transporting heavy loads, such as boxes, luggage and the like, it is now a common practice to employ lightweight, foldable carriers of the type which comprises generally a telescoping frame and a pair of laterally spaced wheels which are rotatively mounted at the base of the frame. Such carriers have found wide acceptance and popularity for transporting luggage in and about airports and train stations. Conventional hand trucks are also in wide use to move heavy loads over flat surfaces.
In order to prepare for use, the presently available luggage carriers can simply be longitudinally pulled as necessary to telescopingly extend the frame members to provide a convenient carrying device. After the frame has been extended, luggage or other heavy loads may be positioned upon a foldable bottom platform and the entire carrier-luggage combination can then be simply wheeled from location to location. After use, the side rails or frame members can be telescoped into compact arrangement whereby the device will be collapsed into a relatively small, conveniently stored package. The present available hand trucks normally do not have foldable or telescoping components.
While the presently available hand trucks and telescoping type luggage carriers are generally satisfactory in use when wheeling the carried loads over flat surfaces, such as air terminal floor, street surfaces and the like, all such devices of which I am aware suffer from a common deficiency in that they are relatively ineffective to aid in moving the carried load to a different elevation, for example, when transporting the load up and down flights of stairs.